BOSTON -- Al Horford turned back the clock Tuesday night to help the Boston Celtics hand the Cleveland Cavaliers their first loss of the season.
The 38-year-old big man stepped up to give the C's 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting (4-5 3-PT). He added seven rebounds and three blocks for an all-around outstanding performance in Boston's 120-117 NBA Cup victory at TD Garden, which snapped Cleveland's 15-game win streak to open the campaign. He is the oldest player in NBA history to log 20 points, four 3-pointers, and three blocks in a game, according to Taylor Snow of Celtics.com.
Horford set a season-high in points for the second consecutive game after tallying 18 in Saturday's overtime win vs. the Toronto Raptors, when he shot 5-of-10 from 3-point range. That makes him 9-for-15 from beyond the arc over his last two games.
The five-time All-Star has come a long way as a shooter in his illustrious career. Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson, who coached Horford from 2012-16 as an Atlanta Hawks assistant, has taken notice.
“It doesn't surprise me," Atkinson said after Tuesday's game of Horford still playing at a high level. "Because of his elite approach to every day. ... Everything off the court. Work ethic, hunger to improve yourself, all the stuff that goes into longevity.
"The shooting piece is incredible. Before he needed time to get it off. Now, he needs no time. ... It’s an incredible story. I love the guy. He’s the epitome of a great professional.”
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Horford set the tone on both ends of the floor in the Celtics' victory. C's coach Joe Mazzulla raved about the 18-year veteran's ability to lead by example and inspire his teammates.
"He's just an innate competitor. I don't think people realize that sometimes because of how quiet of a guy he is, but he's an innate competitor and he has an ability to inspire people around us," Mazzulla said.
"He's a great leader, but sometimes his actions are so loud and his competitiveness is so loud, and I think tonight was one of those nights."
Horford catching fire from 3-point range took some pressure off Jayson Tatum and allowed the Celtics superstar to erupt for 33 points on 6-of-10 shooting from deep. The 26-year-old heaped praise on Horford for being a difference-maker when he's on the court.
"I think Al's just a calming presence out there," Tatum said. "He just does so many different things for us. Sometimes they show up in the stat sheet and sometimes they don't.
"But just him being on the court with us helps our spacing, helps our defense. He's such a good passer, willing passer. We're just a much better team when Al is out there and being aggressive."
With fellow big man Kristaps Porzingis still recovering from his leg injury, Horford will continue to play a crucial role on the Celtics' quest for a repeat. Although his age prevents him from playing both games of back-to-backs, Saturday and Tuesday's games prove Horford still can find the fountain of youth when his team needs him. His presence will be key even when Porzingis takes his spot in the starting lineup.
Horford and the C's will look to improve to 2-1 in the group stage of the 2024 NBA Cup when they visit the Washington Wizards on Friday night. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.
